Album cover illustration

I started finding some research on artists and music of the albums so that I would illustrate one of the selected albums after some research and album covers, what represents their style of music and how to build up ideas of my own to concept illustrated album covers. The artist I chosen for this task is Agnus Obel, a musician who is into classical and relaxing music and I thought could work for the project and make sure it relates to the musician.

I would probably start my research on her first and listen to her music and write down the lyrics. Her style of music is more towards classical when using the piano, violin and other sorts of anxiliary instruments used for the lyrics. So far my target audience would be more towards people who find it more relaxing or prefer the classic theme then other types of music like rock and rap for example. Agnus has a soothing, intense and also angelic voice clearly shows talent and not always trying to rise the voice level high like most singers would. I actually find them relaxing myself and see she is really good.

So far from my research, Agnes is influenced by a few artists such as Roy Orbison, Joni Mitchell, french composers Claude Debussy, Erik Satie and Maurice Ravel.

The lyrics I chose to listen would help give me ideas to illustrate the poster.

Aventine

Will you go ahead to the Aventine

In the holly red in the night

Dint under my show from the old at heart

Right under you, grinning in the dark

You carried my heart in the night

To bury the wave in the tide

You carried me onto the fields

There is a grave, there is a plot

Deep in the snow, breaking your heart

One step ahead, a thousand miles

A trail ablaze to the Aventine

You carried my heart in the night

To marry the wave with the tide

You carried me onto the fields

You carried my heart in the night

To bury the wave in the tide

You carried me onto the fields

Play it down, down, down...

Play it down, down, down...

What I thought of illustrating an album is make it more a view of the natural landscape, taken a look at some photos of the landscapes in Scandinavia. Wanting to have a river, few trees and mountains in the artwork, seeing as how Agnus' music is rather more soothing and relaxing, so that's what I am aiming for my project.

I strongly belief it should relate to some folklore and myths, so I was given suggestions of leaving the idea of an earthly based-colour for the landscape and do some experimentation with water colour, pencil and digital before I move on to the next step. It will be a digital portrait but I thought it be a good idea to see how some of my experiments turn out first.